| Hired by Green Bay on Jan. 14, 2005, general manager and executive vice president Ted Thompson enters his 24th season in the NFL. His experience includes 10 years as a player and 13 combined seasons in the Green Bay and Seattle front offices. His NFL career at a glance:
– Linebacker, Houston Oilers, 1975-84. Signed by Bum Phillips as a non-drafted free agent, Thompson played in 146 of 147 games over his 10-year NFL career. His teammates included Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Mike Munchak and Elvin Bethea. Houston was 4-3 in the playoffs (1978-80), losing the AFC Championship to the Steelers in both 1978 and '79.
– Green Bay Packers, 1992-99. Assistant director of pro personnel (1992), director of pro personnel (1993-97) and director of player personnel (1997-99).
– Seattle Seahawks, 2000-04. Vice president of football operations.
Thompson has been the architect of Seattle's draft board since joining the Seahawks in January, 2000. Now he gets an opportunity to run a team. Few carry a stronger reputation as a scout.
– Players taken by Seattle off Thompson's draft boards accounted for 51.7 percent of the Seahawks' starts in 2004, when the 9-7 club captured the NFC West championship.
– After his five Seattle drafts, 30 of 47 selected players have started at least one Seahawks game, and only three of those 47 did not make Seattle's 53-man roster. And, 31 remain on the roster. Seven of those players have earned all-rookie, All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors.
– Entering the 2003 draft, some called it the most important in team history. Thompson landed four players who not only made immediate front-line contributions as rookies, but who also are cornerstone players for years to come.
Born Jan. 17, 1953, in Atlanta, Texas, Thompson operated his own investment business in Houston before Wolf brought him to Green Bay in 1992. | 
